by Alex Brooks
In March, Holcomb made sap spouts and sap troughs and set himself up to tap the maple trees.
Saturday, March 10, 1821: Today I tapped sap trees. On this day Mr. Charles Moseley had a son die, age one year and a half, as I am told. Said child was scalded or burned with an iron, and then had the measles.
March 11, Sunday: Mr. Hunter preached the funeral sermon of Moseley’s child at the Presbyterian meeting house.
March 12, Monday: We drew two logs to the mill and when we came home, we stopped to Mr Simeon Wylie’s and borrowed 40 sap troughs and this afternoon we tapped sap trees and gathered sap.
March 13, Tuesday: I called to S. Wylie’s and borrowed 13 more sap troughs. We gathered sap and chopped to the door. I helped tend to boiling sap.
March 15 Thursday: I tapped, gathered, and boiled sap. I gathered 3.5 barrels. I had rising of 80 trees tapped.
March 16, Friday: I gathered sap. I slipped down with two pails of sap, and fell onto one pail with my side.
He continued to gather sap through another week. He mentioned numerous times that his side and breast continued lame for another week.
March 28, Wednesday: This morning early I took the cutter and fetched Mother Spring down, then I went after Doctor Elijah Graves for my wife, and John Wylie fetched Simeon Wylie’s wife and I fetched Ephraim Pierce’s wife, and at evening I fetched Hazard Morey’s wife, and about 15 or 20 minutes before eight o’clock I had a daughter born and after supper I took the cutter and carried Mrs. Morey and Mrs. Pierce home. The Doctor charged his bill. Mrs. P. Wylie watched tonight.
March 29, Thursday: I took the sleigh and carried Ruth Rouns home, for she would not take care of my wife and do house work, and we could not have spinning going on. I then went to Thomas P. Adams and got Amanda Searls to come and do housework. This afternoon Wm. and I went over to Simeon Wylie’s and made ropes. We made leading lines and clothes line. We took the three-titted cow along to Mr. J. Russel to his bull. This evening I took the cutter and carried Mother Spring home and fetched Alma Russel to watch with my wife.
March 31, Saturday: Today on the way home with said timber, said Newton drove, and I came across to old Mr. Edmond Carr’s to let them know that I could not buy the Rodgers farm, on the proposals that were talked of, for I was disappointed in getting money from Newton.